A GREEK island is bringing in new safety measures after a former Bolton Council leader and two of his relatives were thrown "like rag dolls" by the blast from a holiday jet.

Derek Shepherd suffered severe facial injuries when he was hurled against a concrete slab as he walked along a coastal road close to Skiathos's busy airport .

His sister and brother-in-law Dick and May Rothwell, of Parkgate Drive, Astley Bridge, were also caught in the blast but escaped serious injury.

But now, pedestrians and traffic will be barred from the area as planes take off, after intervention by Bolton's Euro MP Gary Titley.

Mr Shepherd, an honorary alderman and the former Tory leader on Bolton Council, was rushed to hospital on the Greek mainland and spent the rest of his dream holiday in agony, unable to eat or sleep.

He had taken the trip to Skiathos after retiring from Bolton Council due to ill health this summer. However the councillor for 22 years, who suffers from a long-term debilitating illness called Meniere's Disease, was subjected to the terrifying ordeal just hours after landing on the island.

He was walking along the road watching the jet taxi across the runway ready to take-off. The terrific thrust of the jet engines threw him into the air, catapulted his 67-year-old brother-in-law into the sea and threw his sister, aged 65, on to the beach just yards from dangerous rocks.

"It was a horrible experience," Mr Shepherd said today: "I could not believe that this could happen and it was a well-used public road.

"I was amazed to hear of motorbikes and even cars being thrown off the road.

"I feel extremely lucky that I survived to tell the tale although I have been left with permanent nerve damage."

Mr Shepherd, aged 56, had to undergo facial surgery on his return home to Thornham Drive, Astley Bridge, and is now taking legal action for compensation. Euro MP for Greater Manchester West Gary Titley, who took up the case, blasted the Greek authorities for the lack of safety measures at the airport.

He met European Tourism Commissioner, Mr Christos Papoutsis, to express his concern and press for urgent action.

Now Skiathos's Transport Minister has told Mr Titley that traffic lights and barriers will be installed on the coastal road to stop passers by being injured.

Mr Titley said: "It is clearly unacceptable that innocent tourists like Mr Shepherd and his relatives should have been exposed to such risks.

"Their injuries were bad enough but I shudder to think what might have happened. It could have been a whole lot worse."

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